Flying shears for cutting a running band of steel or the like into portions of predetermined length



June 18, 1957 K. MUNCHBACH 2,796,125

FLYING SHEARS FOR CUTTING A RUNNING BAND OF STEEL OR THE LIKE INTO PORTIONS OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH Filed April 2, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 K. MUNCHBACH FLYING SHEARS FOR CUTTING A RUNNING BAND OF STEEL OR THE LIKE INTO PORTIONS OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH Filed April 2. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 18, 1957 K. MUNCHBACH 2,796,125 FLYING SHEARS FOR CUTTING A RUNNING BAND OF STEEL o HE LIKE INTO PORTIONS OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH Filed April 2, 54 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent ()7 FLYING SHEARS FOR CUTTING A RUNNING BAND OF STEEL OR THE LIKE INTO PORTIONS OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH Kurt Miinchbach, Pforzheim, Germany, assignor to Fritz Ungerer, Pforzlieim, Germany Application April 2, 1954, Serial No. 420,635

Claims priority, application Germany April 13, 1953 13 Claims. (Cl. 164-47) The present invention relates to flying shears for cutting a running band of material, particularly a steel band, into portions of a required length, whereby for the alteration of the length of the portions the speed of the moving cutters can be adjusted to any given speed of the running band.

Constructions of this type in which the cutters of the running band participate in the movement of the band, and in which the speed of the cutters can be adjusted with respect to the speed of the band in order to prevent a buckling and tugging of the material during the cutting, are already known to the art. However, known constructions of this kind are very expensive and complicated, so that the occurrence of frequent trouble can not be avoided.

Contrary to this, the device disclosed in the present invention is of simplest construction and permits in simplest manner the adjustment of the speed of the cutters with respect to that of the running band. The construction of the invention is characterized by the feature that one of the cutters, preferably the upper one, is actuated by a crank, whose rotatable guiding means are adjustable in their position with respect to the shaft of the crank, whereby during the cutting the guiding means are rotatably locked in position, so that during a rotation of the crank the ratio of the rods of the crank changes, and that, when the length of the portions has to be changed, an alteration in the adjustment of the guiding means, particularly an adjustment in height, can be made only when the machine is at rest.

If the cutting length of the material is to be changed, while the speed of the band is to remain the same, it is first necessary to change the speed of rotation of the crank, which then automatically causes a change of the speed of the cutters with respect to the speed of the band. After this the adjustment of the speed of the cutters to the speed of the band is eifected through adjustment of the position of the rotatable guiding means with respect to the shaft of the crank, whereby the travelling curve of the cutter is rendered either steeper or flatter. The projections of this travelling curve upon the plane of the band, furnish, as is known to a person skilled in the art, a measure for the speed of the cutters, which means that any change of the curve must naturally also result in a corresponding change of the speed of the cutters.

The invention further proposes to actuate the lower cut ter by means of an eccentric shaft and to guide the lower cutter at the crank frame of the upper cutter. An arrangement like this has the advantage that the cutting edges of the cutters are always moving toward each other in the same plane, and that special rods for the lower cutter are not needed.

Inclined arrangement of the crank, which drives the upper cutter, produces the result that the correspondingly inclined but otherwise equal form of the travelling curve of the cutter, is at the entering side of the band steeper, and at the exit side of the band flatter with respect to the plane of the band. The consequence is that the projections of the curve of the cutter upon the plane of the band are, within the cutting range, practically constant on the entering side, and enlarged on the exit side of the band. As these projections correspond to the travelling speed of the cutter, it is obvious that in this way during the cutting practically a synchronization of the speed of cutter and band is obtained, and after the cutting an accelerated separation of the cutters from the cutting edge of the band.

It is further possible to provide the upper cutter and lower cutter with a slanting cutting edge. Which, however, means that the cutting point of the upper cutter is thereby caused to move through a flatter curve than is the case at the hitherto customary horizontally extending cutting edge of the upper cutter. The result of this flatter curve is an enlargement of the range of equal cutter speed, which is essential for the cutting.

The actuation is preferably eifected, for the upper cutter via a crank-shaft, and for the lower cutter by means of an eccentric shaft actuated from the crank-shaft via gear wheels, whereby, for the variation of the length of the pieces to be cut, the construction may be so devised that the gear wheels can be moved into and out of mesh with each other at various ratios of transmission.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which an embodiment of the invention has been shown by way of illustration. However, I wish to say that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic side view illustrations of the actuating means for the upper cutter at diflerent positions of the rotatable guiding means showing only the path of the cutting edge of the upper cutter;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic front view of the actuating means of Fig. 2 showing onlly a corner of the upper cutter;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a machine similar to Figs. 1 and 2 with the guide means being located in a position with respect to the crank laterally of the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in a direction transverse to the rotational axis of the crank and along the line of travel v of the running band so that the actuating means for the upper cutter is inclined at all times with respect to the crank;

Figs. 5a and 5b show projections of the travelling curve of the upper cutter upon the plane of the band within the cutting range;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the path of the cutting point of the upper cutter at incllined arrangement of the cutting edge of the upper cutter;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the upperand lower cutter provided with inclined cutting edges;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration in perspective of the flying shears assembly of the invention showing both the upper and lower cutters, the actuating mechanisms therefor and their relation to eachother.

Fig. 9 discloses a side view of a mechanism for adjusting the position of the rotatable guide means of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3 and 8, Fig. 10 is a top view of the mechanism of Fig. 9. v

Referring now to the drawings (especially Fig. 3 which shows the upper cutter and its actuating mechanism and Fig. 8 which shows the entire. assembly including the upper and lower cutters and their actuating mechanisms) in detail, the reference numeral 2 designates connecting rods which carry the upper cutter 3 and which are driven from the crank-shaft 4 which is journaled for rotation in frame 11 and driven by a driving means such as a conventional motor and gearing as indicated at 10 (Fig. 8); The guiding means '5, in which connecting rods 2 slide longitudinally during actuation thereof 'by crank-shaft 4 are pivotally mounted by means of shaftsQSa on members at which are in turnadjustably mounted-on frame 11 as shown in. Figs. 9 and '10 in such a manner that during operation of the flying shears the longitudinal axes of shafts a are maintained substantially parallel to crank-shaft 4 and guide means 5 provide fixed pivots on which rods 2 pivot and with respect to which rods 2 :slide longitudinally when such rods are actuated by crank-shaft 4, the resultant movement of the upper end of rods 2 and hence the cutting edge of the cutter 3 brought about by this combined pivotal and longitudinal movement imparted to rods 2 by the guide means 5 being along an orbit as shown in the figures. Actuation of rods 2 by crank-shaft 4 also causes guides v5 to rock about the longitudinal axes of shafts 5a. In effect, upon actuation of rods 2 by crank-shaft 4 both rods .2 and the guides 5, in which they are received, are pivoted about the .fixed longitudinal axes of shafts 5, the rods 2 sliding .longitudinally with respect to guide means 5 at the same time. Ihe curves a and shown in Figs. 1 and 2 indicate the path, or curve of travel, of the cutting edge of the upper cutter 3 brought about by rotation of crankshaft 4 and the resulting pivotal and longitudinal movement of rods 2.

Each member d is adjustably mounted on frame 11 in a conventional manner so that it can be moved to and locked in a plurality of positions in a direction along its rod away from and toward crank-shaft 4 and running .band 1 One conventional manner of .adjustably mounting each member d on frame 11 is shown in Figs. 9 and 10 wherein such member is slidably mounted on a guide rod e on frame 11 as shown. Bridge member a and hence guide 5 is adjustable to any position desired along guide rod e and connecting rod 2 by means of rod f attached at its top to member 0. and threaded at f, gear g having a threaded aperture for receiving the threaded portion f of rod 1, and

gear worm h mounted on a spindle 1' having a handle at one end (not shown) and rotatably mounted in bearings (not shown) on frame 11. Stops prevent gear g from moving upwardly and downwardly when such gear is rotated by gear worm 11. When it is desired to adjust the position of guide 5 along connecting rod '2, while the machine is not being operated, spindle i and worm h are rotated by the handle (not shown) of spindle i, whereby, gear g is caused to rotate and rod 1, member a' and guide 5 are driven along guide rod e and consequently guide 5 is moved along its connecting rod 2. It should be noted that no matter what position guide 5 is moved to it is maintained in such position with the pivotal axis of the shaft 5a thereof fixed and substantially parallel to the rotational axis of crank-shaft 4 so as to form a fixed pivot about which rod 2 pivots and with respect to which rod 2 slides longitudinally.

It is apparent that the less the distance between the guide means 5 and crank-shaft 4 and consequently the greater the distance between such guide means and the travelling band the greater the lateral swing of the upper end of rod 2 and cutter 3 and the flatter the path of travel of the cutting edge of such cutter. This is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where the path b of Fig. 2 is the path of the cutting edge when the distance between the axes 5a of the guide means 5 and the crank-shaft 4 is relatively small and the path a of Figs. 1 and 2 is the path thereof when the distance between axes Sa and crank-shaft 4 is greater.

Fig. 4 discloses a machine wherein shaft e is so positioned that guide means 5 is located in a position to the right in a direction along the line of traverse of band v as compared to its position in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby rod 2 is maintained at an inclination with respect to the plane of the moving band b when it is in a dead center position. This changes the path of the cutting edge of cutter 3 as shown in Fig. 4, where a represents the path of such cutting edge when guide means .5 is in the position shown in Fig. 4 (to the right-of the crank-shaft 4) and wherein c represents the path of such cutting edge when guide means 5 is in a position directly over the crank-shaft 4, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A

In other words, the position of guide means 5 with respect to crank-shaft 4 and the running band determines the shape of the orbit along which the upper end of rod 2 and the'cutting edge of cutter 3 move. By lowering such guide means the orbit :is vertically flattened, by moving it to the right in a direction parallel to the direction of traverse of band v the orbit is tilted in one direction and by moving it to the left the orbit'istilted in the other direction.

It is apparent that by changing the shape of the orbit along which the cutting edge travels, the speed thereof along such orbit is varied. The utility of varying the shapeofthe orbit of the cutting edge of the cutter 3 to vary the speed thereofis explained more fully below.

As in shearing machines of this type the cutting is not effected all at once, but gradually by means of the inclined cutting edge of the lower cutter 6 (see Fig. 7), the cutting takes up a certain time and therefore requires, in order to eliminate buckling and tugging during the cutting, a uniform travelling speed for the band and for the cutters. In the shearing machine of the invention, the travelling curve of the cutters can be rendered steeper or flatter merely'thr-ough corresponding adjustment of the guiding means 5. As the projections of the curve of travel upon the plane of the band correspond to the speed of travel of the cutters, it is-obvious that the speed of the cutters can be'regulated and adjusted through adjustment of the guiding means 5.

If, for instance, at a given travelling speed of the band, the cutting length of the material is to be changed, the procedure is such-that first the speed of rotation of the crank has to be changed, which then automatically results in also a change of speed of the rotary movement u of the cutters with respect 'to the travelling speed v of the band. After this the speed of travel of the cutters is again adjusted to that of the band through corresponding adjustment of the rotatable guiding means 5, with respect to the crank-shaft, whereby the travelling curve of the cutters is rendered either steeper or flatter. In this way the cutting length of the material can be changed according to requirements without difliculty.

If the crank 2 is arranged in inclined position with respect to the direction in whichthe band is fed into the machine, that is to say, if the rotatable guiding means 5 are moved from their position vertically above the crank-shaft 4 in lateral drection, as shown in Fig. 4, the path of the curve c of the upper cutter will be steeper with respect to the plane of the band on the entering side of the hand than on the exit side of the latter. The result is that the projections of the travelling curve of the cutter upon the plane of the band will be, within the cutting range, practically constant on the entering side of the band, and enlarged on the exit side (see Figs. 5a and 5b). As these projections correspond to the speed of the cutters, it is obvious that in this way during the cutting practically a synchronization of the speed of cutter and band can be obtained, and after the cutting an accelerated separation of the cutters from the cutting edge of the band.

Until now it has been the custom to devise the cutters in such a way that only the lower cutter 6 extended in slanting direction, while the upper cutter 3 extended in horizontal direction, as illustrated in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 7. When now, according to the invention, also the edge of the upper cutter 3 is slantingly devised, the cutting point moves from the parallel curve a via the curve a, that is to say, on the flatter curve d, whereby an enlargement of the range of equal cutter speed, which is essential for the cutting, is obtained, and consequently also a lengthening of the cutting path (Fig. 6).

In the embodiment shown in the diagrammatic illustration of 'Fig. 8, the lower cutter 6 is slidingly arranged with the aid of guiding means 7 at the frame of the rod 2 provided with the adjustable guiding means 5. The lower cutter 6 slides upwardly and downwardly on rod 2 which acts as a guide therefor and consequently lower cutter 6 is swung laterally with upper cutter 3. The actuation of the lower cutter 6, which is moved upward and downward by means of an eccentric shaft 8 and rods 12, may preferably be effected from the crank-shaft 4 via the gear wheels 9. For the multiplication of the length of the pieces to be cut, the construction may be so devised that the gear wheels 9 can be moved at various ratios of transmission into and out of mesh with each other in a conventional manner, as for example by a conventional clutch mechanism, in order to make it possible in this way to omit cuts according to requirements. The entire actuation of the flying shears, as disclosed in the present invention, is effected from driving means as indicated at 10.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a flying shear device for cutting a running band of steel or the like the improvement comprising flying shear cutter means, connecting rod means operably connected to said cutter means, driving means for actuating said connecting rod means in a longitudinal movement, pivoted guide means for said connecting rod means slidably engaging a guide engaging portion of said connecting rod means intermediate the ends thereof and at a predetermined distance therealong from said driving means for providing a pivot on which said connecting rod means pivots about an axis intermediate the ends thereof while longitudinally sliding in said guide means when said connecting rod means is actuated by said driving means, whereby said cutter means is moved by said connecting rod means about an orbit of predetermined shape into and out of cutting engagement with said band, said driving means being operatively independent of said guide means, and means for adjusting the position of said guide means for changing the position of said pivot axis of said connecting rod means.

2. Flying shears for cutting a running band of steel or the like into portions of predetermined lengths comprising, a pair of opposed flying shear cutters, connecting rod means operably connected to one of said cutters, crank means for actuating said connecting rod means, guide means for said connecting rod means spaced therealong a predetermined distance from said crank means, said guide means providing pivot means on which said connecting rod means is adapted to pivot and with respect to which said connecting rod is adapted to move longitudinally when said connecting rod means is actuated by said crank means whereby said one cutter is moved by said connecting rod means about an orbit of predetermined shape into and out of cutting engagement with said band, means for moving the other of said cutters into and out of cutting engagement With said band and said one cutter, means for synchronizing said last mentioned means with the movement of said one cutter, and means for adjusting the position of said guide means for changing the position of said pivot axis of said connecting rod means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for moving said other cutter comprises means for imparting a cutting movement to said other cutter away from and toward said band and means driven by said crank means for imparting a lateral swinging movement to said other cutter, means for synchronizing said cutting movement of said other cutter wth the movement of said crank means and means for synchronizing the lateral swinging movement of said other cutter with the lateral swinging movement of said one cutter.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for imparting a cutting movement to said other cutter comprises second connecting rod means operably connected to said other cutter and second crank means for actuating said second connecting rod means, said second cutter being slidably mounted on said first connecting rod means between said guide means and the operable connection between said first connecting rod means and said one cutter so as to swing in a lateral direction therewith and wherein said second crank means is synchronized with said first crank means.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 including a frame member pivotallysupporting said guide means in such a manner that actuation of said connecting rod means by said crank means causes said guide means to pivotally rock about its pivotal axis.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said pivotal axis of said guide means is substantially parallel to the rotational axis of said crank means.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said connecting rod means is inclined with respect to the plane of said band when said rod is in dead-center position.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the cutting edges of said pair of cutters are inclined with respect to the plane of the moving band.

9. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said guide and pivot means is adjustable in a direction longitudinally along said first connecting rod means toward and away from said crank means and in a direction generally transverse to the rotational axis of said crank means and generally along the line of travel of said band.

10. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for synchronizing said first and second crank means comprises gear means for coupling said first and second crank means together.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for adjusting the position of said guide means with respect to said driving means to change the shape of said orbit.

12. Flying shears for cutting a running band of steel or the like into portions of predetermined lengths comprising, a pair of opposed flying shear cutters, connecting rod means fixedly connected to one of said cutters, cnank means for actuating said connecting rod means in a longitudinal movement, pivoted guide means slidably engaging a guide engaging portion of said connecting rod means intermediate the ends thereof at a predetermined distance therealong from said crank means for providing a pivot about which said connecting rod means is adapted to pivot about an axis intermediate the ends thereof while longitudinally sliding in said guide means when said connecting rod means is actuated by said crank means, whereby said one cutter is moved by said connecting rod means about an orbit of predetermined shape into and out of cutting engagement with said band, substantially none of the driving force applied to said connecting rod means by said driving means being imparted thereto through said guide means, means for swinging the other cutter into and out of cutting engagement with said band and said one cutter and means for synchronizing said last mentioned means with the movement of said one cutter, and means for adjusting the position of said guide means for changing the position of said pivot axis of said connecting rod means.

13. Flying shears for cutting a running band of steel or the like into portions of predetermined length comprising, a pair of opposed flying shear cutters, connecting rod means having one fixedly connected to one of said cutters, crank means for actuating said connecting rod means in a longitudinal movement, pivoted guide means for said connecting rod means and spaced therealong from said crank means and cutters and slidably engaging and supporting said connecting rod means for pivotal movement about a fixed axis and for longitudinal sliding movement when said connecting rod means is actuated by said crank means, whereby said one cutter is moved by said connecting rod means about an orbit of predetermined shape into and out of cutting engagement with said band and other crank, means for swinging the other cutter into and out of cutting engagement with said band and -7 .8 said one cutter and means for synchronizing said last men- 1,467,278 Thompson Sept. 4, 1923 tioned crank means with the movement of said one cutter. 1,848,820 Biggert Mar. 8, 1932 1,913,153 De Salardi June 6, 1933 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,415,325 Wood Feb. 4, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREIGN A S 704,941 Slick y 15, 1902 742,467 France Mar, 8, 1933 1,174,041 Bardet Mar. 7, 1916 

